A Research On The American Images Created And Translated In Chinese Modern Drama Since The New Period

The imagology of comparative literature is applied in this thesis to focus on theimagination and construction of the “other” image of American by the screenwriterssince the reform and opening up policy was initiated. It also sorts out the modernAmerican drama translated and introduced to China. It studies the reason why thetranslators choose these dramas as well as the transformation of the character imagein them. While attaching importance to the interaction of “other” image and selfimage, modern imagology pays more attention to the application of image creationmain body. At the same time, it emphasizes the need to break through the text andmainly study the cultural system that creates the image. Mor e attention is paid to thecommunity interpreting of the society about one of the foreign images. Studying theAmerican image from the view of imagology not only can interpret the modernChinese drama literature in a peculiar perspective but also can deepe n ourunderstanding of the screenwriters and their dramas. It can also display the meetingof minds and emotions in the screenwriter’s culture as well as the hidden culture andrealistic meaning of the image.Under the view of ideology, American and America often have a negative publicimage in the dramas. There are two main reasons. The external influence roots in theever-changing historical background and complicated domestic politicalenvironment. The internal influence derived from the deep salvation consciousnessof the intellectuals toward the poverty and weakness of their country since the May4thmovement as well as their firm commitment to Chinese traditional culture andvalue.Since the mid-eighties, all kinds of problems such as money and fortune arisingfrom the economic reform of the urban and rural areas are always unavoidable topics.Ambivalent attitude is found in the screenwriter about molding the American image.Double image of the “Money” America has been built, namely a capitalistic stateconstructed by money and the dreamland of plenty with advanced culture andspiritual freedom.Apart from the original works, Chinese screenwriters also present lots ofAmerican dramas on the stage especially the contemporary dramas written after theWorld War Two. Conclusions can be draw after analyzing the reasons why Chinesetranslators preferred to translate and introduce contemporary dramas and the translator subjectivity as well as the contextual features of the cultural society at thattime. The preference to the “other” image is for self-reflection. Studying thecontemporary American dramas is to learn more about ourselves and to update ourcultures through the self-reflection.